One More Breath
by Mclovelie
Summary: The team faces challenges that they have to over come in order to stay together. While Derek and Emily's relationship grows.  -Going to make this into a series.
1. Chapter 1

After finishing an awful case off in Miami the 7 agents didn't mind having to do paperwork, whatever took there mind off those 3 kids now without parents.

Two months marked the date when Derek had finally urged up the nerve to asked Emily out. The two agents had kept it quiet from there team, even though the team already had their suspicions.

Emily sat at her desk trying to forget all that was seen yesterday, the three kids had watched their parents being sawed apart by the limb, what had made it worse was the unsub had made the children burry their parents limbs. She knew she had seen some pretty messed up unsubs but this crossed her line. Plus, Derek was on her about telling the team about them, she was worried it would interfere with their work and Strauss might get on them but he wanted the team to know. Its not that she didn't want to tell her friends, she just valued their job and not sure how they were going to react to the information.

Derek was trying to focus on the reports sitting on his desk but could only think about Emily and what he was going to do tonight for their two months. It hadn't been that long but he just wanted to celebrate having her in his life. Fidgeting too much he decided he'd get up and fix some coffee trying to take his mind off of her.

Reid glancing around the bullpen wondering if this job was even worth it all, Garcia had once told him that "If things stop affecting you, you loose a part of you." With every case the team had worked on and the things they had seen together they all started to become use to the torn up bodies and now he can look at a ripped apart part human being and not flinch.

Hotch staring out the window looking upon his team.

A familiar voice came from the doorway of his office "Don't worry about them." Rossi muttered towards Hotch.

"I never do." Walking back to his desk and putting out his hand offering Rossi to take a seat in the chair opposite his desk.

Closing the door, and resting his hands on the back of the chair gripping it firmly. "I'm guessing Strauss has talked to you then."

"I. don't know how were going to break it to them. I'm sure none of them will be too thrilled."

"Of course they won't. Are you?"

"No. but there's nothing I can do to stop Strauss. It's already done Rossi."

"I suppose we should tell them then."

The team gathered around the round table. Hotch was standing in front of the t.v with Rossi perched in the doorway.

"Please tell me we haven't got another case." Garcia sighed

"No."

"Then what is it man." Morgan demanded an answer. He always hated the idea of secrets because he knew they usually led to bad news.

"Strauss has a concern with this team, and how we work."

"That's no surprise." A concerned Reid whispered.

"As of tomorrow our team will be on strict lock down, I don't know for how long but you will be contacted prior to your interview. The whole team will be interrogated and I'm not sure what's going to happen but you all are prohibited from entering the office and must give in your badges to her by the end of the day."

Mouths dropped open as Hotch finished. Garcia had let out a small whimper; they all had confused, yet hurt looks in their eyes. No one was saying anything they all just sat in shock. Morgan had clinched his fist and Hotch knew he wanted to punch the walls in. Prentiss was now staring at the floor, eyes closed. While Reid was biting his lip with the saddest look in his eyes like he was a puppy being abused and JJ had perched her lips trying to say something but nothing was coming out and she just sat frozen.

"We did nothing wrong." Reid finally breaking the silence

"According to Strauss, we've handle the last few cases wrong causing people to die who shouldn't have. Just in the past few days 5 couples were murdered, leaving behind 3 children each. Knowing that the children lives will now be ruined and it will take time for them to get past this. That being said that's 15 children and 10 adults, making the total number of people who died not just physically but inside as well 25 people. Im not taking her side in any of this but she has come to the conclusion we can not work together as a team, we have become to close and she thinks this altars our decisions."

No one was saying anything. Anyone could feel the tension in that room. No one knew what was going to happen. Strauss has tried everything in her power to break this team and she may have just done it.

Rossi breaking the tension and speaking up "All we have to do is pass the interrogation."

"We don't even know what there going to be asking. She has no right to do this; we did everything we could do to say those lives." Morgan stood rising his voice, clinching down on the side of the table.

"I'm sorry it has come to this, go home and get some rest." Walking out of the room leaving blank faces staring at him as he made his way to his office knowing that they wouldn't get any rest.

"Do you want to stop and get some dinner?" Derek turned too face Emily while pulling out of the BAU parking lot. He waited a few seconds but she didn't even move.

"Em, I know you're upset I am to but there's nothing we can do." He waited a few more seconds but still no reply.

"Its our two months today." She could hear the smile in his voice and felt guilty because she didn't want to spend it sulking.

Turning to face him with a smile she only gave him spread across her face. "I know. And I'm sorry I just … it's just that…" her voice slightly broke as she looked towards the floor. "I finally feel like I belong. And I don't want that taken away"

"Hey, it's not going anyway. No mater what happens we'll still be a family. I know for sure Garcia won't let it be taken away." He smile whiled giving a small but reassuring chuckle.

"Thanks Derek. And I know you want to so yes. We can tell the team.." pausing and taking a deep breath "once were back together."


	2. Chapter 2

3 months ago Emily would never have thought she'd be waking up next to Derek Morgan. She had always had a slight crush on him but thought he only wanted to be friends so she never tired anything. As she lay there in his arms with her arm across his chest and face nuzzled into his neck everything from yesterday hit her. Last night they had both forgotten about what had happened and only focused on each other, but it was getting hard running from it any longer. He had kept reassuring her that everything was going to be fine she just couldn't help but think what if its not. What if the team separates, what if she never sees her friends again, what if this breaks her and Derek up.

Derek woke to water on his neck. Emily hadn't noticed she had started crying while thinking about the worst possible scenarios.

"Hey, Em, you okay?" He whispered prompting himself up against the backboard wrapping his hand around her waist tighter.

"Yea. It's all good." Giving him a small peck on the lips and resting her head back on his chest. She just thought to herself 'No need to worry about what could happen, she had Derek and that's good enough for now'.

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Hotch had started down the hall towards Strauss's office but stopping not knowing what he was going to say to her. He couldn't allow this team to fall apart. They were his family now.

"Morning, Erin." He said entering. She was sitting at her desk looking at file reports and hadn't even noticed that he walked in.

"Agent Hotchner. This is unexpected; I gave you strict orders not to set foot in this building."

Ignoring her last statement he just stared her in the eye. "We need to talk."

"Please sit." She gestured towards the chair in front of him.

Grabbing the back of the chair he held on firmly.

"Or don't."

"We have seen some pretty messed up things, worked with some pretty messed up people and gone through some pretty messed up times. Garcia got shot, Reid was kidnapped, Morgan's been knocked out a few times, Prentiss and JJ will never look at life the same way, none of us will and I was stabbed and my family taken away but the thing is Erin, the reason why were still together and still strong is because we had each other and the reminder of why we do the job we do. Any one of us could have broken down and quit and fallen apart but …"

Erin stood holding up her hand to stop Hotch "Don't do this. I have my reason for what I…"

"Just listen, Erin. For once, listen." He cut her off mid sentence. He didn't want to hear what she had to say, she just nodded. "But we didn't. When I go home at night to see my son the first thing he says to me is, 'Good job daddy' he doesn't even have to ask, he knows that we caught the bad guy. This team may have other ways of going about getting the job done but we do get the job done. There will always be cases that are harder to figure out and take more time. Though we never give up….hell; I have to force them to get some sleep while working a case because they forget. Not just anybody can come in here and see the things we see every day and walk away and then come back the next day. You may not like how we do things but I know for a fact that there isn't a better team out there then this one, and you're going to have one hell of a time trying to get one. I can't speak for them, but there are nights I sleep here because this is home and just from there reactions and taking forever to leave that this is their home too. No one knows what we go through every day in this job but if you were kidnapped or shot wouldn't you be paranoid or break down for a while? We do what we love Erin and were damn good at." He took a deep breath and stared her down.

"I have no doubt you love what you do or else why would you be here. Aaron, my concerns are how you go about doing what you love. Some of you are a little to close and that can get in the way of this job. What you see and have to handle with, the people you have to talk to, you can not get emotionally involved and because of what your team has been through they are getting emotionally attached to cases."

"We still get the job done."

"Yes but people are dying who shouldn't have to die because of your teams actions. I'm done discussing this Aaron. Now leave." She demanded while pointing towards the door.

"Good night." Giving her a glare as he turned to walk out, he knew it was a long shot and wanted to say so much more but couldn't talk for the team.

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Morgan, Prentiss, Reid, Garcia and JJ all decided to go out for the night. They had invited Rossi and Hotch, but Rossi never answered and Hotch turned the offer down. They went to a small basement pub and were sat in the back corner, none of them were willing to get up and dance, still down about what might happen.

Morgan raised his hand signaling the waiter for drinks.

"Another round? I can barely stand up straight." A rather tipsy Reid asked

"You've only had one beer." The team all gave out a small chuckle

Emily had promised Derek she'd let him tell their friends about them and thought this may be the best time. Rossi and Hotch will find out later. She rested her hand on his leg, he turned to look at her and knew she wanted to tell them now; she had that terrified look in her eyes.

"Uh, guys." She spoke out softly. All four heads turning to face her "We have something to tell you." Looking next to her where Derek was.

"I've been the luckiest guy lately." He said with a smile from ear to ear, and he leant down and gave Emily a small but meaningful kiss.

"Finally you admit to it." JJ spoke, taking a sip of wine.

"You knew?" Emily's eyes widened.

The four just laughed, "It's kind of obvious Em" Garcia let out. "I'm just so happy for you two." She looked at Derek "You better take care of my lovely here" and then looked at Emily "Don't let this hunk of love go, okay"

Everyone just laughed. As the noise went up and the drinks kept coming, Derek had noticed Emily hadn't been drinking anything or saying much either. He waited till he heard a slow song play and grabbed Emily's hand and pulled her out to the dance floor.

"I thought you didn't want to dance tonight." She stated rather than asked, putting her hands around his neck.

"You're an exception." He pulled her in tighter to him, he moved so his lips were brushing against hers, whispering into her mouth "You're beautiful"

She closed the distance between them, locking their lips together. She could stay in his arms forever and be okay. They swayed to the music her head on his shoulder. His chin slightly resting on her head.

Back at the table, small talk amongst them. Garcia was watching Emily and Derek dancing. She wished she was the only girl in Derek's fantasies but Emily was of course an exception.

"Who would've thought, Morgan and Prentiss?" JJ mentioned seeing Garcia watching them.

"They're adorable. Little misses ball of fuzzy cuteness and my burning God of chocolate sculpted thunder together. It makes me so happy, doesn't it make you?"

JJ and Reid couldn't help but laugh at Garcia's nicknames. By now the song had ended and Derek and Emily had made their way back to the table.

"What do you think is going to happen to us?" Reid spit out. Everyone knew that question was coming but no one wanted to be the one to ask.

"Hopefully nothing" a concerned but hopeful JJ replied

"We don't even know when they will be interviewing us or what it will be on."

"I guess all we can do is hope for the best" Morgan wasn't slow to butt in.

"There's got to be something we can do. This isn't fair. Were a family. That's why this works. Do they not understand that." Garcia raising her voice a tad.

"Come on guys, Strauss has done many other things to try to tear the team apart. This is just another one of those things." Morgan said trying to lighten the mood. Even he was scared but he wasn't about to show it.

"What if she wins this one though?" A quiet Emily asked, while staring down towards the floor.

"No. No no no. I can't loose my babies." Garcia started to sound as if she were going to cry.

"Hey, baby girl. You're not going to loose us. Technically we are still a team. Let's cross that bridge when it comes. In the meantime let's enjoy the night."

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Pulling the car into the driveway and putting into park, Emily opened the door to get out. She was stopped by his hand on her shoulder pulling her back.

"You haven't said a word the whole drive. What's going on? She knew from the sound in his voice that he was going to make her tell him. He also sounded extremely worried.

"Earlier when we told them and JJ said 'you finally admit to it' that means they knew right?"

"Yeah. Probably, why?"

"So, Hotch and Rossi could know to. That means Strauss could have figured it out. Do you think she's doing this because of us?" She sounded as if she were on the edge of crying. She couldn't make eye contact with him because she was scared she would.

"Our friends figured it out because they spend every day around us; they know us inside and out. Strauss barely talks to us, so no I don't think she knows. She has been trying to break this team forever and I'm praying that we overcome it just like all the other times." He had to reassure her; it killed him to see her upset.

"Okay." She lifted her head to face him "I'm hungry. I would like chicken please" Smiling from ear to ear, she turned and stepped out of the car.

"Oh, so I get to be the woman today" Giving her a wink "Not a chance princess, but I can give you something better" He had caught up to her, and wrapped his hand around her tiny waist pulling her so she was facing him.

"Something better, Okay steak" She gave him a playful wink and turned to walk inside the house.

"Ouch"

"I'm kidding, baby. Now come on." She held out her hand as he slipped his hand into hers and intertwined their fingers. She led him into the bedroom and turned placing her lips on his. He loved kissing her; she had the softest lips ever. The kiss grew deeper and more meaningful as they now lay on the bed.


End file.
